Stephen Hawking Endorses Iranian and Chinese Repression

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Dr. Stephen Hawking, world-renowned physicist.

The only logical conclusion that can be derived from Stephen Hawking’s decision to join the academic boycott of Israel, coupled with his enthusiastic visits to Iran and China, is that he actively endorses and supports the repression practiced by the Iranian mullahs and the Chinese party bosses. Why else would he single out the world’s only Jewish state for his academic boycott?

Prior to the cancelation of his academic talk in Israel, it might have been argued that his visits to Iran and China reflected not support for the regimes but rather a neutral approach to academics, or a refusal to participate in academic boycotts. No longer can this justification work. The only possible justification for distinguishing between Israel on the one hand and Iran and China on the other hand would be if Israel’s actions were worse than those of Iran and China. Only a knave or a fool would believe that to be so. Israel’s academies are among the most open, diverse and free in the world. Israeli universities have affirmative action programs for Palestinians and other minorities. Political dissenters receive tenure and thrive at Israeli universities.

The very concept of an Iranian university is an oxymoron. There are no free and open places of learning in that repressive theocracy. Dissenters are not given tenure; they are murdered, after first being tortured. Blasphemy, which is broadly defined, is punished. Gays are not only excluded from Iranian universities, but are imprisoned and killed. Women are oppressed. Baha’is are persecuted and killed. There is no freedom in Iran—a country that is seeking to develop nuclear weapons so that they can wipe the State of Israel off the map.

Yet Iran is a country that Stephen Hawking visited. He did not boycott that Islamic country. He limited his boycott to the democratic nation state of the Jewish people.

Not only did Steven Hawking visit China, he praised it effusively. Although Chinese universities are considerably better than Iran’s, there is no real freedom to criticize the government or the Communist party. The people who brought us Tiananmen Square still hold positions of authority in China. Dissidents are persecuted. There is no semblance of fair trial. Censorship reigns.

Yet Stephen Hawking did not boycott China. He boycotted only Israel – the only country of these three with real academic freedom and the only country where people with disabilities are fully-integrated, first-class citizens of society. In China, many disabled children are aborted due to the country’s one-child policy. In Iran many disabled people are kept hidden within families because of prevalent cultural taboos.

Israeli universities have an unmatched record of developing devices that assist people with disabilities in their daily tasks. Ironically, Israeli universities have developed the very microchips that allow people suffering from motor neurone disease, like Stephen Hawking, to communicate. I do not know why Hawking, whose intellectual accomplishments are beyond reproach, uses these devices now to call for the boycott of the very country that enables to him to communicate in the first place. But we have long ago learned that people who are brilliant in some areas may be utter fools in other areas.

The burden is now on Steven Hawking to justify on the face of what looks like a double standard, hypocrisy and bigotry. If Israel were not the nation state of the Jewish people, I do not believe Hawking would participate in a boycott against it. Has he stood up for the right of the Chechnyas against Russia? Has he championed the rights of the Armenians against Turkey? Did he protest America’s policies in Afghanistan when he accepted the Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama? Was he on the forefront of opposing Britain’s repressive actions against those seeking independence for Ireland? I do not remember hearing his voice when genocides were being committed in Rwanda, Darfur, and Cambodia. But now suddenly, having accepted an invitation to participate in an academic conference sponsored by the peace-loving President of Israel, Shimon Peres, Hawking has become the most famous and visible face of an academic boycott directed at the Middle East’s only democracy and only country where academic freedom prevails.

Nor can Hawking’s argue that his joining of the academic and cultural boycott against Israel is simply a demonstration of his disapproval of Israel’s presence in the West Bank. The boycott movement that he joined opposes the very existence of the state of Israel and applies only to Jewish citizens of Israel, not to its Arab citizens.

J’accuse Stephen Hawking of bigotry. Let him defend his actions in the court of public opinion. I don’t think he will be able to.

I don’t know whether Hawking is a fool or a knave. Perhaps he is simply an ignoramus who didn’t bother to learn the fact at first hand and simply followed the bigoted British academic crowd in lemming like fashion. Let him explain. Let him try to justify but do not allow him to remain silent in the face of these serious accusations of double standard, hypocrisy and bigotry.

For shame Stephen Hawking. History will not remember you kindly for your foolish foray into the oldest of bigotries.

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Stephen Hawking was a great physicist, but physicists know he was no Ed Witten. He grabbed a lot of media attention and publicity because of his illness.
Lately his has been espousing crackpot notions like humans need to fear space aliens and robots. I think he is getting senile.
He retired a while ago and is no longer actively engaged in research.
Every six months now he comes out with another crazy attention-getting proclamation. Hawking once said, “Physicists become philosophical in their old age and start saying foolish things.”

Hansen

The worlds best physicist is not a Jew, and he doesn’t like you.

RealToughJuice

Self-hating Jews like Noam Chomsky are likely to blame for much of the legitimization of the otherwise baseless and purely racist BDS movement. Shame on you Chomsky! Thank you Professor Dershowitz for standing up for your brothers and sisters and putting some logic to these unexplainable views by Hawking! If only self-hating Americans and Self-hating Jews would learn to love themselves and their brothers and sisters as you have! Peace!

Karsten Bannier

It is absolutely amazing that a man who is so intellectually
gifted can be so disappointing.Maybe his mind is not so “kosher” after all.

David

Maybe China and Iran furnish him with cash to continue his mumbling.

manoj jose

Stephan hawking,

In the eyes of the world you looks to be a genius, but truely, what a fool you are.

Manoj jose

Kobi Klint

Who is this Hawking? What a fool he is! a total waste of space. Why should the media give him so much coverage? Laughable really ha ha

Brian Morley

Whatever else Hawking is, he’s not ignorant? What do you mean, Who is the Hawking? While I do not support his stand on Israel for a moment, he cannot be easily dismissed with a comment like “What a fool he is! A total waste of space.” Oh, that the media would in fact ignore him.

What a ridiculous comment. How can you ask who Steven Howking is? He is the most brilliant mind we know of, but of course to someone like you this means nothing.
It comes as a shock to read about his boycotting Israel. Perhaps there is a reason we are not told of, or he might be a genius/ignoramous.
But you are an uninformed uninelligent person. Don’t worry the media will NOT waste any time on you. YOU are not worth it. Ha ha.

Frank Truth

Stephen Hawking was a great physicist, but physicists know he was no Ed Witten. He grabbed a lot of media attention. Lately his has espoused several crackpot notions like we need to fear space aliens and robots. I think he is getting senile. He retired a while ago and is no longer engaged in physics. Every six months now he comes out with another crazy attention-getting proclamation. Hawking once said, “Physicists become philosophical in their old age and say foolish things.”

Anthony C. Abela

Realy ?, who gives a s__t what this oxymoron thinks, I thought he was dead. Pity if he’s not.

Ryan

How does someone deciding to visit or not visit a country imply that they support or oppose their regime. I am not a fan of Stephen Hawking nor the practices of China, Iran, or Israel, however, the conclusions drawn in this article seem more than blatantly biased. As an purported scion of the legal community, Mr. Dershowitz should provide more than baseless assumptions regarding Mr. Hawking’s situational discretions. The observations made here simply do not the support the impartial conjecture.

eli

Say what. Nothing make sense in this mabo jambo

JHoward

The most honest reply here – he doesn’t understand, makes no bones about it, does not pretend otherwise, is unashamed, just accepts his shortcomings like a man and carries on with his own mabo jambo. Bravo!

Tim

“How does someone deciding to visit or not visit a country imply that they support or oppose their regime.”

So Hawking should have had no problem in attending the conference, right? Obviously the point of this article has completely gone over your head. Logic not even once.

Hawkins wants to boycott Israeli intellectuals. Is he also willing to boycott Israeli scientific breakhroughs? Israel is working on a cure for his phyical disease . If Israel comes through while he is still alive I hope he will not get to use it.

I am appalled that Stephen Hawking, a man of such stature in the academic world would publicly disgrace himself with such a blatant display of anti-semitism. And, what’s even worse is that he would use his exalted position to further his bigoted and deplorable ideology. One would think that a person of such high regard and influence would hold himself to a higher standard of self-respect. But no, Stephen Hawking chose to insult Israel instead. In so doing, he has tarnished his own reputation irreparably in the process. Personally, I’m totally disgusted with him. — Ron Pompetti, a Christian Canadian and friend of Israel; the only light in a region of darkness.

Fredric M. London

I guess it is not only his body that is twisted.

Vivienne Leijonhufvud

For a man with such a brilliant brain, all put him together with Dawkins,Carl Sagan and the rest!

He’s just plain dumb!

Malcom

Dawkins?! Pff. If you think he belongs in the same league as other genius scientists, then you are surely mistaken.

Ã„sset

Well, something is for sure. Dershowitz are lying about Iran. They have never threaten to “wipe Israel of the map”, thats a propaganda lie….

The bias is rampant, and continues in the tradition of the past, the Nazis etc. It seems to get worse.
Academia does not mean more intelligent, but many times the opposite.
Mr Dershowitz’s criticism of Hawking is well founded.
Mr. Hawking is an anti-Semite, true to the fashion of many Brits.
Not impressed with him all.

Frank Adam

The Hawking case proves again that being expert in one field does not mean one is expert in another – decidedly different discipline. Further being clever is not necessarily to be wise.

The clearest point to remember here is that to judge science by any other criteria than science especially a bent socio/poliitcal ambition or a religious or politcal ideology is to head straight back to: the Stalin-Lysenko affair, the Hitler distaste for Judenphysik because Jews were among the pioneers of atomic and particle physics; and the Church burning Giordano Bruno and confining Galileo.

In a year when Israel has held its 19th general election it is thought worthy and joyful that in the same period Pakistan has at last seen a civil elected government live out its term and hand over by election to a successor. Saudi and the other Gulf sheikhs have never had an electoral succession. Turkey, Indonesia, Bangla Desh, Malaysia and most of the other Moslem countries have had a some elections but also plenty of military coups and civil wars.

It is therefore not surprising that Israel’s 6 million Jews, a 1/2 percent of the World’s 1200 million Moslems, has Nobel science laureates but the entire Moslem World has but one in Abdus Salam.

Finally on a theological point: without monotheism there is no modern science because the Almighty rules over all the Earth and so ceteris partibus what is true in one locus of space and time is true in every other. The snivelling cocksure authoritarian clerics who are really playing power politics in claiming to represent the Creator are NOT however the Lord.

Well Frank Adam, you have illustrated your knowledge of names and places, but that does not make you any wiser then others. This is not a theological discussion and your view of God, or science is irrelevant.

Perhaps the simplest explanation is that, bearing in mind his disabilities, his “protectors” spoke for him without asking him what he believes and whether he wanted to go to Israel or not. The best course of action Hawking can take is to make his own statement, using the Israeli microchip that enable him to speak through his machine, and say exactly why he withdrew.
If he supports the boycott, regardless of his brilliance, he is a pariah.

Euripides_Smythe

Thank you Professor Dershowitz. Hawking may be a genius on the History of Time, but he has earned an F-minus on world history, especially history of the Near East.

Ari

I am really disappointed to find that a respect mind in one area is so out of it in the real world. I was shocked to learn of his actions

Eisner

Being a peace loving Jewish person myself, I’m surprised how scathing your attack is. Mr. Hawking is entitled to his personal opinion as are you. He visited the countries and it was his choice not to visit Israel. Please get off your academic high chair and respect diversity. What’s to say that democracy will work for every country – it hasn’t worked in Iraq, Pakistand and Afghanistan…

rashid Zaidi

Who says it does not work in Pakistan. When you leave unfinished business which you started, namely arming 40,000 people with a religious fervor to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan, the consequences are grave. You have helped destroy a region create Al Qaida and the Taliban. Militancy is rampant now it was not here prior to 1979. Take responsibility for your actions. Just look at Vietnam, agent Orange used there is such a detriment to people’s well being the use of these deadly chemicals was big deal.
Depilated Uranium in Iraq is creating havoc there. Take responsibility for your irresponsible ways. All laws should apply to you as much as other nation whom you burden with those laws and yet you and Israel do not abide any. Dump chemicals in third world countries which are banned in the west. Come on folks be fair.

What the hell are you even talking about Dershowitz?? It has been known for a while now that Hawking did NOT boycott Israel; he was simply not in good enough health to tolerate the agenda planned for his arrival!! Shame on YOU, Mr. Dershowitz!

“When the consequences of idiocy become indistinguishable from the consequences of malice, it is wiser and safer to assume malice.”

David S. Most

The good Professor apparently harbors the very, very old British anti-Jewish virus! His cowardly and incoherent decision is unmasked by Prof. Dershowitz’s insights and intellect.

I wonder how Prof. Hawkings will respond when the British Islamists begin to throw him into the “Non-Muslim Apostates of the West”. It may be sooner than he thinks.

James Hartt

J’accuse Hawking aussi. The good Professor exposed Hawking as a bigot through deductive logic. Hawking’s inability to answer the charge will, obviously, not be attributable to his lack of intelligence, but to his inability to come up with any credible alternative theory to justify his egregious actions.

Eli

So basically, you are comparing Israel to Iran and China?

You think that if an academic decides to make one political action, he must always make political actions? You believe that a man whose life is devoted to furthering knowledge for the benefit of humanity should either be completely involved in politics or completely ignore it? An extreme view, but not surprising from an extremist like Mr. Dershowitz, who views the world in black and white.

Israel, unlike Iran and China, is a democracy with free institutions, with freedom of speech. Perhaps Israel is more susceptible to such a public move than would be Iran or China. It would take a belief in the inherent good of Israel to believe that any action such as a boycott would be able to change its policies. If you believe it can change, you will act to change it, whereas if you do not believe change is possible, as in Iran or China, you take no action.

Perhaps Mr. Dershowitz and his ilk are unwilling and unable to comprehend why academics would boycott Israel and not Iran, but that is ultimately a failing of Mr. Dershowitz and not the academics.

Funny that you must hide behind the word “democracy” when government policies of building settlements in disputed areas is the sort of action taken unilaterally by dictatorships.

You hide behind claims that those who boycott Israel “oppose the very existence of the state of Israel” which are baseless and extreme, designed to further divide people, when in reality, across the academic world, a desire for peace and a two state solution to the problem is desired. Your arguments and beliefs are the true cause of all animosity directed towards Israel, and you, Mr. Dershowitz are making the exact type of argument, an extreme one, that turns academics and artists away from Israel.

eli

So you choose to pick on a small country because it’s easy and you are lazy, typical BULLY

annad

“Perhaps Mr. Dershowitz and his ilk are unwilling and unable to comprehend why academics would boycott Israel and not Iran, but that is ultimately a failing of Mr. Dershowitz and not the academics.”

Ohh, everybody understands. It’s because Israel is a Jewish state. The one and only reason.

Which is exactly what Mr. Dershowitz is saying – applying different standards to Jews and non-Jews. It’s also called Anti-Semitism. Regardless of the “good intention” disguised that you are trying to put on it.

Eli

So, since I, who am a Jew, oppose this warped viewpoint, I am an anti-semite?
Since I am a jew who thinks that maybe Israel shouldn’t be building settlements on land it doesn’t own and thus turning itself in a colonizer, I am an anti-semite?
So many academics around the world, among them thousands of jews, have voiced their concerns with Israeli foreign policy, and they are anti-semites?
Mr. Dershowitz is actually demanding that different standards be applied to Israel: he wants people who oppose Israel to shut the hell up, and only those people who agree with him to speak.
Of course, as I see on this message board, supporters of Mr. Dershowitz are, like him, quick to make personal attacks and try to bully their enemies ad try to cow them by calling them anti-semites. This would be quite laughable if not for the fact that it seems to be the only response most of you have to any criticisms of Israel.

Let’s say you cook your wife dinner and she says “this is terrible,” would you say “You bitch! why do you hate a man who cooks?”

Maybe you do not understand what so many have understood: that Israel’s claim to being a peace-loving beacon of hope in the Middle East is SEVERELY compromised by its settlement policy.

PS and you are telling me that Israel, with its huge army, support from america, high end industry, vibrant economy and political power is some weak ass little country? HA.

Peter J

Dershowitz is incredibly dishonest.

Stephen Hawkings visited Iran privately with a friend 1962….

Neil Katz, M.D.

Stephen Hawkings’ degenerative neurological disease is now affecting his cerebral cortex. His behavior will be overlooked because his once brilliant mind is now a victim of dementia. Too bad he must end his career as a pitiful, pathetic, demented quadriplegic.

Carol

Professor Dershowitz is articulate as usual. We are fortunate to have people like him to speak up in defense of Israel.

Elliot J. Stamler

Indeed we are. America as a whole has in Alan Dershowitz one of the finest defenders of western civilization, liberal democratic values, and fidelity to the Constitution. And additionally as a Jew I am so glad and proud to have him as an articulate and informed defender of Israel and Jewry. Do I always agree with him? No-sometimes I even disagree with myself! But I certainly do agree with him at least 85-90% of the time—may he live to be 120.

Helen Wolfers

Difficult to believe that a man of such overpowering scientific intelligence could be so politically ignorant . IQ does not necessarily correlate with wisdom or bigotry.

Eli

maybe such an intelligent man is capable of thinking about issues in ways that you, the name-caller are not capable of? Because most of the comments I am seeing on this board lack wisdom and are FULL of bigotry.

jacqueline

Could be all the drugs that Mr. Hawkins takes has affected his reasoning ability. Or since he is a atheist he does not like a Jewish state but a Muslin country only is more acceptable to him. I think he is just a bigot and stupid in many ways.

Actually, I rather think that in addition to his tragic illness, Hawking is now clearly senile.

Eran Spiro

To be truthful I am vey happy that Stephen Hawking decided not to visit ISRAEL.
A man who doesn’t believe in GOD is not welcome in our country.
WE chose GOD to be our guide and our protector not an unbelieving Physicist !

Now I don’t believe it is so, there are some actions which simply sound irrational because they simply are.

His antisemitism is obvious, and I don’t see what explanation he can possibly give that could overturn this impression.

He does not deserve to profit from the Israeli medical devices which help him daily , I wonder how he feels about that, at least we should remind him of them….daily.

Jo-Ann Morris

Thank you, Mr. Dershowitz!

Dafna Yee

You put my feelings into words very well. Thank you for writing this article.

wayne

As Mr. Hawking’s medical condition deteriorates, and his circle of handlers, health and otherwise, form a tighter circle around him, it becomes more difficult determine the degree to which his decisions are truly and entirely of his volition.

art frank

His debilitating disease has migrated to his brain.

mattis kantor, eastern parkway, brooklyn

Was it not in this journal, the Algemeiner, that reported a spokesman as saying that the original news-wire had it wrong, and that he had cancelled for health reasons.

However, Hawking, elsewhere, is displaying some imbalance in judgement, and we can understand. He has defied all precedents and predictions of his possible longevity.

Stephen Hawking has been on the lecture circuit (Stanford U a week or two ago) promoting his new ideology. In his first famous book, he left room for the possibility of an ‘all-mighty’ creator. In his second best seller, he retracted, and has since been promoting the notion that the laws of nature (gravity) would have caused the eventual creation to evolve.

That he has thus concluded, does not surprise. That he is actively preaching the notion, appears to reflect a kind of worship. And why not? If the laws of nature created the world, then they already take on an aura of deity.

My current writing has me absorbed in a book of precisely this issue, to be titled “Who needs a Creator?”

Eyal Policar

Its called accademic rivalry.. You go where you have no rivals and stay clear from
places that can intellectually challenge you..

Max

This leaves me with a sad, empty feeling. Stephen Hawking had been one of the stars in my personal firmament for many years. Now that star has winked out.

Thank you so much for speaking out, Mr. Dershowitz.

Clue

These boycott activities against Israel cannot be justified. Egregious violators of human rights are given a pass while Israel is singled out over and again. They say they are tired of being accused of anti-Semitism. Then what is their explanation for the disparate treatment? Stephen Hawking has been drawn in to the cauldron of anti-Jewish antipathies that is the daily reality in British universities. I think they really do believe they are not anti-Semitic. It’s like the fish not knowing what water is. They have no empathy for Jews in the slightest and are always ready to believe the worst calumnies against the Jewish State.

It is unfathomable that Hawkings, who must have had dialogues with many Jewish physicists in Israel, should venture into this quagmire. I hope that they and others boycott him with an exchange of their ideas.

Academics here and abroad who participate in actions which limit and stifle the free expression and exchange of knowledge and ideas have no place in education. If one is not exposed to a 360o perspective one might as well be living in an age where the world is flat!

Abe Serot

Thank you Mr. Dershowitz. I agree 100% with your article.

Straightshooter

You’ve thrown down an excellent gauntlet, Mr. Dershowitz, in a well-reasoned and logical fashion.

I share your anger and disgust with Stephen Hawking, an obviously brilliant man in his own area of scientific expertise and an absolute fool or knave (to use your terms, which, given Hawking’s reprehensible affiliation with the academic and cultural boycott of Israel, is mild criticism indeed) in questions of morality and moral equivalence. Hawking is a perfect example of the limitations of the “idiot savant”, who brilliant they may be in one area, but frequently are stunted or incredibly naive in terms of the rest of what is required to function as a complete human being.

Thank you for representing my views and those of so many others over Hawking’s mendacity.

This proves once again that there is no correlation between prejudice and I.Q. Thats why its useless presenting them with facts or flaws in their logic.
Remember that he belongs to the same Ilk that passed the Balfour Declaration(dated 2 November 1917) which was formally confirmed by the Council of the League of Nations and came into effect on 26 September 1923.
Yet, once the British witnessed the stranglehold placed around European Jewry by Hitler in 1939 they issued the “White Paper”, ensuring the closure of Palestine to all but a small handful of Jews attempting to escape the death camps. And those Jews who tried to escape anyway, had their make-shift boats sunk or were arrested and interned by the British Blockade of Palestine.
And I would argue that those British diplomats and Lawmakers were also very bright, just like Hawking, and therefore just as culpable.

BH in Iowa

The whole thing doesn’t seem right. The statement itself was written by some radical “palestinian” group. Those weren’t his words. Hawking did have a relationship with Israel before this blew up.

Did Hawking suddenly change his attitudes and sign of his own free will, or was a helpless man coerced into signing? Right now I’m not convinced it isn’t a scam. To me, this has Pallywood written all over it.

Al

I like this explanation; Hawking has lost his mind! First he reject divine creation now rejects Israel and endorses regimes that openly practice the violation of basic human rights, torture and mutilation of women. Hopefully our children will not embrace the political beliefs of the far left atheist academia.

Ethan Coane

I too will be waiting to hear if and how Hawking responds to Dershowitz’s criticism. It would be hard to believe that a scientist of Hawking’s renown would be unaware of the scientific and technological accomplishments and contributions that can be claimed by Israeli scientists and institutions. I trust Algemeiner will stay on top of this story and publish any new developments as they occur.

juanita

Scathing article by Mr. Dershowitz. I dearly hope that Hawking will accept his challenge. This was so disappointing of Hawking.

There’s nothing that says a disabled academic is above being anti-Semitic. He’s British and Britain is not particularly pro-Israel, either. I think he’s easily scared as well. The Palestinians put pressure on his university. He caved quickly. Nothing in it for him to attend this conference except honor. Dershowitz is right. He’s nothing but a bigot.

Peter

Well stated! Thanks, Professor!

Steve Bryen

Perhaps his progressive disease is just that and what we are seeing is totally out of character and suggests that even worse is yet to come. I think it is a pity that a great mind and someone who derived scientific and intellectual benefit from Israel, would lose his grip. That is a tragedy of course and should be regarded as such, and nothing more. Of course the enemies of freedom exploit his malady.

gregg solomon

Dershowitz,

Keep the pressure on Hawking’s and make him explain his position. Don’t relent until he does and then analyze his rationale. He is a trophy with a global reputation for brilliance for Islamic Extremists to parade.

I am curious to hear his rationale.

Don’t relent.

Gregg Solomon

Tom Snyder

What do you expect from a man who makes up phony ad hoc theories to support a Godless explanation for the creation of the universe?

The man is no longer thinking very clearly.

Lynne T

But, Allan, logic has nothing to do with the boycott, sanctions and divestment movement. Bigotry and hypocracy do, and particularly in Hawking’s case, as the technology he uses to communicate with the world was developed and produced by Israeli scientists, and in no small part, in order to better rehabilitate victims of Palestinian terrorism.

annad

I agree. For Hawking to be consistent, he must also boycott Israeli intellectual products and stop using his communicating device and all future Israeli technological achivements.
Bravo to Pr. Dershowitz! His logic, as always, beyond reproach.